


the power of three

by leapylion3



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crack, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 23:09:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leapylion3/pseuds/leapylion3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor takes on two companions; Jon Snow and Robb Stark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the power of three

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: Jon + Robb, Doctor Who Crossover
> 
> Jon just wanted to see the stars and travel. Robb just wants to keep him safe. (Or Jon and Robb at the TARDIS and the Doctor going all “Come along, Snow” on them; skdhfksdhf)

 

They stare at the stars, the leaves crushed under their backs in the godswood. Their faces are flushed, their chests heaving, from the horserace they just had. They always preferred riding at night, and enjoyed the stargazing that came afterward.

The sun has long since set, and the night sky is almost as dark as Jon’s curly hair. Robb smiles, shifting a bit closer to his brother, and he takes his hand in his. He can barely feel the cold ground with Jon’s warm body next to him.

“How many do you think there are?” Jon asks in wonderment, squeezing Robb’s hand in return.

“Millions, billions.” Robb shrugs as best as he can whilst lying down. “Too many to count, I would think.”

Jon turns to him, his face splitting into one of his rare grins, one that never fails to make Robb’s heart flutter and expand. “I want to see all of them.”

Robb returns the grin, his eyes sparkling with a childish excitement. “Then I’m coming with you.”

* * *

 

A strange blue box crashes in the courtyard the next day. Thank the gods it’s late at night, so no one is there to get hurt. Well, after the crash, _everyone_ in Winterfell is there. They are freezing in their nightclothes, but they are also too curious to miss this mysterious event.

“What the hell is going on?” Jon whispers to Robb, his breath coming out in white puffs.

“No one knows,” Robb murmurs back, his eyes fixed upon the blue box, strewn on its side. Lights flash wildly and he hears a whirring noise that worries him greatly. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

The door- _how can a box have a door?_ \- swings open, and out pops a very disheveled man. His hair is wild, and his clothes- his very, _very_ odd clothes- are ripped, ragged and dirty, but there’s a grin on his face nonetheless. Everyone jumps when the door falls back into place, making a loud crashing noise. “Oi!” the man exclaims, “That could have woken all of London!”

“What’s London?” Arya asks, shivering under her robe.

The man’s smile never falters, although his eyebrows furrow a bit at that. “Oh boy. I think I may have taken a wrong turn back at Neptune...”

“Neptune?” Bran questions.

“Oh, never you mind!” The man’s tone is still light and playful, and he ruffles Bran’s hair. “Would someone be so kind as to tell me where I am?”

“Winterfell,” Eddard replies, eyeing the man dubiously.

“What is that... _thing_ you came in?” Theon demands, his teeth chattering.

“This old thing? It’s a TARDIS.”

“A what?” everyone choruses.

“A TARDIS. Time and Relative Dimension in Space.” He looks around the courtyard. “’m assuming you people only use horses to get around, so...she’s like my horse.” He finishes with a wide smile.

“What does it do?” Arya asks.

He barks out a laugh. “Better question is, what _doesn’t_ it do? Any place, any time you want to go to, she’ll take you there.” Even though he’s not looking at him, Robb can just _see_ the sparkle in Jon’s eyes. _Don’t you get crazy ideas about running off, now…_

“What are you doing?” Sansa squeaks in fear when the man waves around a...wand of some sort, with a little green light at the end. He waves it in her direction, eliciting another squeak from her.

“Assessing the damage. Not too bad; I’ve had worse.” He pockets the wand. “It’s a Sonic Screwdriver, by the way. I’m not a wizard.”

“Then what are you?” Jon blurts out.

He grins. “The Doctor.”

“Doctor who?” Jon retorts.

The Doctor claps his hands in glee and spins around. “I’ll never get enough of that.” He grabs Jon by the shoulders, gently shaking him. “Say it again?”

“D-Doctor who...?”

The Doctor lets out a small squeal of joy. “Brilliant! Just brilliant!”

“Where are you from?” Catelyn asks, keeping Rickon close to her. No doubt she doesn’t trust the strange man who crashed in the courtyard.

“That’s a...it’s a big question.” He sits on the TARDIS, his long skinny legs dangling off the side. “I’m from here and there, and there and here.”

“So where’s here and there?” Bran asks, flapping his arms around in the same way the Doctor had.

“Gallifrey!”

“Walder Frey?” Rickon pipes up, two fingers in his mouth.

The Doctor grimaces. “I...don’t know.” He clasps his hands together behind his back. “Well, I’ve introduced myself. Who are you wonderful folk?” Eddard goes down the line, introducing all the Starks and Theon, along with some of the household of Winterfell. Robb himself is exhausted after listening to the seemingly endless list of names.

“I have a question!” Rickon chirps, raising his hand high, stretching it over his head.

“What is it, Rickon?” the Doctor kneels in front of the boy. “Can I call you Rick? Or Ricky? I knew someone who was named Ricky…”

“You can if you answer my question!” The lad beams.

“Ask away, Ricky.”

“What’s that thing around your neck?” He pokes at the red fabric tied around the Doctor’s neck.

“It’s a bowtie! I wear them all the time now. They’re cool.” He pulls a spare one out of his jacket pocket, the blue matching the hue of Rickon’s gleaming eyes. He ties it around the lad’s neck, and despite it not even matching the clothes, Robb doesn’t think he’s ever seen Rickon this happy. “There. Now you look _really_ cool.”

* * *

 

“It’s bigger on the inside!” Jon exclaims, practically knocking him to the ground as he runs into him. Robb hasn’t seen Jon this excited since that time Uncle Benjen visited when they were five.

“What are you talking about?” Robb holds onto the wall to keep from toppling over. He brushes off his clothes while Jon excitedly rocks up and down on the balls of his feet.

“The TARDIS, Robb!” His half-brother grabs onto his shoulders and shakes him until Robb is dizzy. “Come and see!” Before Robb can respond, Jon takes his hand and they dash to the courtyard, their feet flying out from under them.

“Back already?” the Doctor teases, leaning against the side of the blue box. He’s cleaned up a bit today, and Robb figures the TARDIS is working properly now. Well, it’s right-side up, at least. Under the cloak Eddard had given him, he still wears his beige jacket with the patched elbows, his bowtie knotted firmly around his neck. There’s a funny red hat sitting on top of his head, and Robb notices Jon wearing a matching one.

“Can I show Robb?” Jon pleads, bouncing quickly on his feet. The Doctor opens the door of the TARDIS and ushers the two boys in. Robb’s eyes grow so wide he’s afraid that they’ll pop out of their sockets. “What did I tell you?” Jon hushes excitedly, squeezing Robb’s hand.

Robb runs around the inside of the blue box, his boots squeaking on the shiny floors. He pokes his head out the door, then pulls himself back in. “It’s smaller on the outside!” he cries, sprinting about the interior of the TARDIS.

“Smaller on the outside?” the Doctor echoes, a hint of a laugh in his voice. “No one’s ever said that before.” He swings open a few more doors, lights flashing and sounds whirring and excitement bubbling in Robb’s veins. “You haven’t seen anything yet! There’s a library, a kitchen, a swimming pool-”

Jon and Robb run to the pool before the Doctor gets to finish his sentence.

* * *

 

“I’m going with him,” Jon tells him a fortnight later, when they’re huddling under the furs for warmth late at night.

“What do you mean?” Robb breathes, feeling his heart seize up in his chest. He’s afraid he already knows the answer.

“I’m going with the Doctor.” Robb’s heart breaks; he can tell how painful it was for Jon to say that.

“You can’t leave me,” Robb whispers, his voice cracking. Tears sting at the back of his eyes, and he feels like a big stupid baby. “You’ll go travelling, and then you’ll forget me. You’ll never come back.” He looks away from his half-brother, embarrassed with the flooding and spilling tears.

“How could I ever forget you? I’ll always come back to you.” Jon brushes his lips against Robb’s forehead. “There’s nothing for me here; maybe there’s something for me out there.”

“ _I’m_ here for you,” Robb says stubbornly. “What happened to us ruling Winterfell together?”

“That never would have worked, you know that. I’m a bastard; I have no place here.” Jon talks as if he’s explaining the situation to a small child. “I’ve always wanted to see the stars. Remember how we always used to look up at the sky and try to count the stars?” He tries to smile, but it comes out looking more like a wince.

They would never do that again, Robb realizes. They would never again spar in the courtyard, or have a horse race, or stay up all night talking. It was hard for the heir of Winterfell to breathe.

“Don’t forget that,” Robb mumbles, burying his face in Jon’s neck. “Don’t forget _me_.”

* * *

 

Robb goes to see the Doctor the next day, while Jon is finishing saying his goodbyes to the rest of the family. Everything still feels surreal, and before Robb knows it, he’s standing in front of the TARDIS. “Doctor!” he calls, knocking on the door of the blue box.

“At your service!” the Doctor chirps from behind him, making Robb jump in surprise. “What can I do you for, my lord?”

Robb turns around and stares into the Time Lord’s eyes, his expression grim and serious. “It’s about Jon.” The Doctor nods, urging him to continue. “Can you just…” Stark sighs, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “Just look out for him, please? Don’t let anything happen to him.”

The Doctor gently, subtly, opens the door to the TARDIS. “You can come with us, you know.” He shrugs a shoulder. “Keep an eye out for Jon.” He makes a sweeping gesture with his arm, his finger pointing to the sky. “There’s all of that to explore. Two people can manage, but three…three is the magic number.”

As much as Robb wants to say yes, he knows he can’t. “I’m the heir to Winterfell. I have a duty. I wish I could come.” He offers the Doctor a lopsided smile, but his eyes are sad.

“Just come with us. Anywhere you want to go, and then you can be Lord of Winterfell again. I can have you home before suppertime; no one will even notice you’re gone.” The Time Lord holds out his hand, a foot in the TARDIS.

That night, the three of them go to modern day London. Robb and Jon have fish and chips for the first time, and once they’re in twenty-first century garb, they get mistaken several times for some chaps named Richard Madden and Kit Harington (Robb couldn’t be more confused). The Doctor takes them to ride the London Eye, all while trying to explain the concept of electricity to them.

Robb knows it will be the last time he sees Jon, so he works up the courage to kiss him. Right there, under the London Eye, while the Doctor is off somewhere buying a tub of custard for his fish fingers. The kiss is bittersweet, but Robb does not regret it.

“I love you,” Robb whispers when the kiss is over. “I’ll miss you so much, you know that, right?”

“Of course I know that, you big lug.” Jon smiles crookedly, then kisses Robb. “I love you, too.”

The Doctor catches them, a baffled expression on his face. He dunks a fish finger into the custard, and talks around a mouthful; “Those girls are crazy! They keep taking pictures, and the news is reporting that Kit Harington and Richard Madden are an item!”

* * *

        

A month passes. Then two. Then three.

Truth be told, it’s hard to keep track of time while they’re in Mexico for Cinco de Mayo one day, and fighting Cybermen on a spaceship the next.

Robb ended up staying with Jon and the Doctor. He went back to Winterfell after their day spent in London to tell his family that he was leaving. He promised that he would come back to them ( _eventually_ , although he didn’t say the word).

Bran is heir to Winterfell now, and Robb really doesn’t mind. In fact, he’s happy for his little brother. Bran can keep Winterfell and the North. Robb has Jon.

“’Tis but thy name that is my enemy!” Jon cries, stumbling through the streets a few paces behind of Robb and the Doctor. “Thou art thyself, though not-”

“We just saw the play, Jon!” Robb groans, trying to block out his brother’s amorous quotations. The Doctor thought it would be a good idea to take them to a Shakespeare play to get cultured…and what better place to see Shakespeare than in 1594?

“The kid doesn’t do a half-bad job.” The Doctor grins, clapping Robb on the shoulder. Suddenly, he breaks out into a sprint, his stick-thin legs wobbling underneath him. “Come along, Snow! Stark!” he shouts, swinging open the door to the TARDIS.

Jon and Robb catch up a short while later, panting and breathing heavily. “What is it?” Jon asks, meeting the Doctor at the console.

“I sense an adventure, boys!” the Time Lord explains, rubbing his hands together excitedly. He flips switches and presses buttons, and soon enough, Robb is dizzy from following the Doctor’s frantic hands. “Big, big one!”

“Where are we going?” Jon questions, bracing himself on the console.

“I don’t know yet! That’s what makes it an adventure!” The TARDIS lurches to the side, the familiar disappearing noise echoing in Robb’s ears. “ _Geronimo_!”

* * *

 

Travelling with the Doctor is not always fun and games. There’s Daleks to deal with, and Cybermen, and the Silence ( _the what?_ ), and…Weeping Angels.

Robb hates these the most. _Don’t blink, don’t blink, don’t blink_ , he has to constantly remind himself. The sword in his hand does no good against them.

“Jon,” Robb whispers, the torch in his hand. He looks around the empty attic, the hardwood floors rotting underneath his feet. “Jon, where _are_ you?” The dim glow from the torch does not do much to ward off the darkness.

“ _Robb_ ,” his brother calls from across the room, his voice bouncing off the walls. “I’m here. Come see this.” Robb carefully steps over the parts of the floor that are completely rotted through. He tries to ignore the tiny angel statues sitting on the soggy boxes; _not every angel is a Weeping Angel…right?_

“What did you find?” Robb asks, kneeling beside his brother.

“This…it looks like Father, doesn’t it?” Jon lifts up a picture, careful with the fragile frame and glass. “And there’s Lady Catelyn.” He gingerly points to the red-haired woman.

“It can’t be them.” Robb licks his dry lips, shaking his head. “Impossible.” He tries to laugh, but it comes out sounding like a strange choking sound.

He feels a cold wind next to him, and can only hear Jon’s faint “ _Robb_ ” before his brother is no longer next to him. The Weeping Angel is hanging over Robb’s shoulder, the clawed hands hanging in front of his face. He rolls out of the way before it can touch him, his eyes locked firmly on the stature.

“Doctor!” he shouts, tears spilling down his cheeks. “ _Doctor_!” His throat is parched and he thinks it’s a wonder he’s able to speak at all. _Jon…Jon, where did you go? Come back, please…_

“Don’t look away!” the Doctor commands, climbing into the attic. He searches around for something, and finally picks up a mirror, placing it in front of the Weeping Angel. “That should hold it for now.” He helps Robb up, meeting his gaze. “Where’s Jon?”

“T-the a-angel-”

“Just as I thought.”

“Doctor, we have to get him back.” Robb wipes the tears away, embarrassed for crying in front of the Time Lord. _Jon, gods, why did you have to get taken away from me?_ “I promised I’d keep him safe. I _have_ to.”

“We’ll get him back.” The Doctor pulls him into a hug, and then leads him to the TARDIS. “I’m so sorry,” he murmurs once he sets a location. Robb doesn’t think he’s ever seen the Doctor look this torn up before.

“We have to look everywhere for him.”

“We will. I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s not your fault.” Robb slowly approaches the Doctor, his shoulders hunched. “Doctor?”

“Hmm?”

“I…when we find him. Can you take us home? I…I couldn’t handle losing him again.”

The Doctor smiles sadly at him, his hand hovering over the buttons on the console. “I knew it would happen eventually.” He sighs and presses a few buttons, then pulls a lever. “Come along, Stark.”      

           


End file.
